# NTSB ERA24LA116: Piper PA-28-180, N33667, Farmingdale, NY, February 20, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 20, 2024, 11:41 local (16:41 UTC) - Place: Farmingdale, NY · Highway 109 - Coordinates: 40.71814, -73.40784 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7181&lon=-73.4078&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 193824 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA116 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193824/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193824 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA116 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s lack of fuel management during the flight and the flight instructor’s inadequate monitoring of his student’s fuel management, resulting in fuel starvation and a forced landing to a highway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot in the left seat and his instructor in the right seat were preparing for a local flight. They estimated that there were about 30 gallons of fuel on board prior to departure; 17 gallons in the left tank and 13 gallons in the right tank. After airwork and emergency procedures practice, they returned to the departure airport for some takeoffs and landings. During the second approach to landing, about two hours into the flight, the student pilot advanced the throttle; however, the engine did not respond. Since they were at low altitude, the instructor took the controls and landed the airplane on a nearby highway. After touchdown, the right wing struck a road sign, partially severing the wing. The pilots egressed the airplane and were not injured. An examination of the wreckage by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The fuel tank selector handle, which was located near the student pilot’s left leg, was found in the LEFT tank position. The left wing fuel tank was uncompromised and contained about ½ gallon of fuel. Although the flight instructor stated that he reminded the student several times to switch tanks, the student did not recall ever switching tanks during the flight. The pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N33667](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N33667), registered now, S/N 28-7505166, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7505166 - Year built: 1975 - Airframe hours: 3180 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4A 180 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 30, 2023, 55 hours before - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: FRG, Republic Airport, runway 1, 5,516 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 24; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 8, 2023; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 555 total, 35 in this make and model, 469 as pilot in command, 104 in the last 90 days, 42 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 42; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 22 total, 16 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 9 °F - Altimeter: 30.52 inHg - Observed at: KFRG, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KFRG 201653Z 02003KT 10SM CLR 01/M13 A3052 RMK AO1 SLP335 T00061128 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20240220002899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240220002899A), Feb 20, 2024: Piper PA-28-180, Farmingdale, NY, Substantial damage. On 02/20/24 at approximately 1141L (1641Z), a single engine aircraft, VFR, PA-28-180, force landed on the eastbound lane of southern state parkway south of… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 12, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193824. 5.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16840900&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Aptum%20Aviation%20Inc%20(N33667)%20-%20Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilots' written statements (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 470 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16808051&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2%20Pilots%20Written%20Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Interview summaries - flight instructor and student (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 262 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16940314&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Interviews%20with%20Pilots%20Redacted-Rel.pdf - Interview summary - pilot of previous flight (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 89 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16807887&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2c%20FAA%20Interview%20Other%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 501 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16940552&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 6, PDF, 6 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16807800&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=4%20Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.